Building a Sustainable Future- Energy Efficient Fairfax County Presentation to The Potomac Watershed Roundtable: April 13, 2012

1. Building a Sustainable Future –
Energy Efficient Fairfax County
Presentation to: David J. Molchany
The Potomac Watershed Roundtable Deputy County Executive
April 13, 2012 Fairfax County Government
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2. Overview of Presentation
 Introduction
 Sustainability within the county government:
 Environment/Energy Goals
 Environment/Energy Leadership
 Environment/Energy Initiatives
 Sustainability as it relates to private sector
development
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3. Who We Are
Add a map of the county here?
 Residents – Approx. 1.1 million
 Size – Approx. 400 square miles
 County/Schools Budget—FY 2012
 Approx. $6.1 billion
 Gen. Fund $3.38 billion--County
47.5% / Schools 52.5%
 County/Schools Employees
 Nearly 35,000
 Urban county executive form of
government
 Board Members – 10 elected
 1 elected At-Large Chairman
 9 Representing specific districts
 Appointed County Executive (Chief
Administrative Officer)
 Subject to Dillon Rule
 Little vacant land remaining (less than
7% as of January 2010)
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4. Public Engagement
 Who are our customers?
 Constituents (Residents, Businesses,
Groups)
 Elected Officials
 Government (internal staff & other levels
of government)
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5. Public Engagement
Holistic Approach - to determine your overall
government strategy plan for service delivery
Localization - is necessary to make your
government relevant to your customers and your
community
Customers are stockholders in government -
who want a return on their investment, i.e. service
delivery that makes sense to them and fits their needs,
for the tax dollars that they pay us
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6. Public Engagement
Board of Supervisors sets County’s strategic
direction on customer input
County Executive & Senior Management Team
interprets Board’s strategic direction
Upon implementation, strategic direction
becomes basis for government operations &
services
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7. Environment/Energy Goals
 Board of Supervisors Priorities
 Board’s Environmental Agenda
 Environmental Improvement Program
 Cool Counties Initiative
 Board’s Energy Policy
 Comprehensive Plan Goals
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8. Board of Supervisors Priorities (
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/government/board/priorities/#)
A Clean, Sustainable Environment:
Fairfax County will continue to protect our
drinking water, air quality, stream valleys and
tree canopy through responsible environmental
regulations and practices. We will continue to
take a lead in initiatives to address energy
efficiency and sustainability and to preserve and
protect open space for our residents to enjoy.
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9. Board’s Environmental Agenda
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/living/environment/eip/bos_environmental_agenda.pdf
 Board’s Environmental Agenda: Broad,
20-year vision document
 First adopted in 2004; revised in 2007
 Policy statements in six broad theme
areas
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10. Environmental Improvement Program (EIP)
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/living/environment/eip/
 Comprehensive and coordinated strategy to
address and support the goals and objectives of
the Board’s Environmental Agenda
 Limited to County-funded environmental projects
and initiatives
 A tool for making cross-organizational decisions
regarding environmental investment planning
and policy needs assessments
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11. EIP Action Areas
 Growth and Land Use
 Air quality and Transportation
 Water Quality
 Solid Waste
 Parks, Trails, and Open Space
 Environmental Stewardship
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12. Cool Counties Initiative
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/living/environment/coolcounties/
 Declaration signed in July 2007
 Pledge to achieve significant, measurable,
and sustainable reductions in County
government greenhouse gas emissions
 Provides policy and program templates for
taking concrete action in seven areas
 Supports regional development and
attainment of emissions reductions targets
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13. Solution Areas
 Energy efficiency
 Renewable energy
 Greening vehicle fleets and equipment
 Land use
 Transportation
 Water conservation
 Education and outreach
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14. Fairfax County Energy Policy
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/living/environment/county-energy-policy.htm
 Adopted by the Board in 2009
 Promotes energy efficiency and conservation
practices among County employees, employers,
and residents
 Advances the goals of reducing energy
consumption and greenhouse gas emissions
 Supports the Board’s Environmental Agenda
and the Cool Counties Initiative
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15. Comprehensive Plan Goals
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpz/comprehensiveplan/policyplan/preface.pdf
 Goals reflect the community’s
belief that environmental
protection and preservation are
overarching components of the
quality of life
 Three goals relate to conservation
of the natural environment
 Environmental Protection
 Energy Conservation
 Open Space
 Three goals cite the need to
protect the environment
 Quality of Life
 Land Use
 Transportation
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16. Environment/Energy Leadership
 Environmental Quality Advisory Council
 Interagency coordination
 Regional coordination
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17. Environmental Quality Advisory Council
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpz/eqac/
Annual Report on the
 Appointed 14-member citizen ENVIRONMENT
group advises the Board on 2009
environmental matters
 EQAC provides a forum for
citizen input on environmental
issues
 EQAC’s Annual Report on the
Environment offers
recommendations on a variety
of environmental issues (climate
change, land use, transportation, air
quality, water resources, waste
management, hazardous materials,
ecological resources, wildlife SUMMARY REPORT
management, noise, light pollution, Fairfax County, Virginia
visual pollution) Environmental Quality Advisory Council
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18. Interagency Coordination
See Environment Web page: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/living/environment/
 Environmental Coordinating Committee
 Energy Efficiency and Conservation
Coordinating Committee
 Responsible for implementing the Board’s
Environmental Agenda and administering
the county’s EECBG program
 Coordination with EQAC and Board
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19. Regional Coordination
 Climate, Energy and Environment Policy
Committee
 Energy Advisory Committee
 Metropolitan Washington Air Quality Committee
 MWAQC Technical Advisory Committee
 Transportation Planning Board
 Intergovernmental Green Building Group
 Many others
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20. Environment/Energy Initiatives
and Action Areas
 Energy Efficiency
 Facilities Management
 Waste Management
 Parks
 LED Lighting
 LEED
 Vehicle Services
 Schools
 Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECGB) Program
 GHG Inventories
 Air Quality and Transportation
 Tree Canopy
 Water Quality
 Parks, Trails, and Open Space
 Education and Outreach
 Growth and Land Use
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21. Energy Efficiency:
Facilities Management
 1% avg. annual reduction achieved has resulted
in excess of a $7 million cost avoidance between
FY2001 and FY2010
 e.g., Government Center lighting and HVAC retrofit project
saves almost 10% ($100,000) per year
 Installation of Energy Management Control
Systems (EMCS)
 Right-sizing of HVAC equipment
 Efficient lighting and lighting controls
 Installation of more efficient system types
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22. Energy Efficiency:
Waste Management
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/living/recycling/
 Landfill gas recovery and
utilization
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/living/environment/coolcounties/countyefforts_renewableenergy
 Energy/Resource
Recovery Facility
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/trash/dispomsf.htm
 Recycling (See URL above)
 Effluent Reuse
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/construction/water_reuse/
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23. Energy Efficiency:
Parks
■ Indoor Lighting Upgrades - RECenters, Nature and Visitor Centers, Buildings
■ Outdoor Lighting Upgrades - Parks, Parking Lots, Trails
■ Remote Control Installation - Athletic Fields Lighting
■ Control Installation / Upgrade for Indoor Lights
■ Control Installation / Upgrade for HVAC systems
■ Geothermal System - Golf Facility
Indoor Efficient Lights and Controls Outdoor LED Lights and Controls
71% Energy Saving 69% Energy Saving
KWh / Year: 191,000 KWh / Year: 55,000 KWh / Year: 5,200 KWh / Year: 1,600
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24. Energy Efficiency:
LED Lighting
 LED parking lot
lighting pilot programs
 County participation
on Dominion Virginia
Power LED street light
task force
Burke VRE station
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25. Green Building Design
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/construction/sdpolicy.pdf
 Sustainable Development Policy for Capital
Projects
 LEED Silver for projects greater than 10,000 SF
 Supports the Board’s Environmental Agenda and the
Cool Counties Initiative
 Most go through certification process
 As of August 2011: 12 certified green building
projects (10 LEED); four more to be certified
soon; 12 other active green projects
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26. Energy Efficiency:
Vehicle Services
 Fleet Hybrids
 49 Ford Escapes, 52 Toyota Priuses, 13 Ford Fusions
 One Toyota Prius converted to “plug-in” configuration
 One Freightliner M2-106 dry cargo van
 One 65 passenger school bus with emDRIVE hybrid conversion
system
 Hydraulic hybrid refuse collection truck
 Captures braking energy in hydraulic accumulator to assist in
movement from stopped position
 Up to 30% improvement in fuel economy
 Electric vehicles and charging
 One plug-in hybrid electric school bus
 Five Chevy Volts for County fleet
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27. Energy Efficiency:
Schools
 Designs conform to Collaboration for High Performance
Schools (CHPS)
 Initiatives
 Interior initiatives include efficient mechanical systems and high-
efficiency lighting
 Building envelope—cool roofs; efficient windows
 Energy monitoring of all facilities
 Since 2005:
 Building space has increased by 815,000 sf
 10,880 additional students
 Meanwhile, total energy consumption has remained flat
 Overall energy efficiency (KBTU/sf) has improved by 6%
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28. Energy Efficiency and Conservation
Block Grant (EECBG) Program
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/living/environment/energy/eecbg-project-status-march2011.pdf
 $9.6 million allocated to Fairfax County in 2009
 Award period ends October 2012
 15 projects in multiple areas:
 Information technology
 Enterprise server consolidation and virtualization
 Desktop PC power management (Nightwatchman)
 Facility improvements
 Upgrades and retrofits of HVAC, EMCS and lighting
 Energy audits and building retrocommissioning
 Hybrid and electric vehicles
 Greenhouse gas emissions inventory (community-wide)
 Residential energy education and outreach
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29. Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Inventories
 Inventory of County operations
 Includes Facilities and other operations, Fleet, and Schools
 All agencies have gathered raw energy data
 2006 baseline
 2006 – 2010 inventories are complete
 Community (non-municipal) inventory undergoing review
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30. Air Quality and Transportation
 Transit support http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fcdot/
 Employer Services Program
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fcdot/employer.htm
 Telework http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/telework/
 Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinators
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fcdot/bike/
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fcdot/pedestrian/
 Green vehicle fleet
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/living/environment/coolcounties/countyefforts_greenvehicles.htm
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31. Tree Canopy
 Tree Canopy Goal--45 percent by 2037
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/environmental/30year.htm
 Tree Preservation and Planting Fund
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/environmental/treefund.pdf
 Tree Conservation Ordinance
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/publications/pfm/treeconservation/
 Tree Action Plan
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/environmental/tap.htm
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32. Water Quality
 Watershed management planning
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/watersheds/involved.htm
 Gold Chesapeake Bay Partner
Community
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/news/2004/04019.htm
 Low Impact Development
practices
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/publications/lti/07_17.pdf
 Stormwater Service District
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/stormwater/servicedistrict.
htm
 Stream protection/Resource
Protection Areas
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/stormwater/
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/environmental/cbay/
 Riparian buffer restoration with
community volunteers
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/stormwater/riparianbuffer/
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33. Parks, Trails and Open Space
 Cross County Trail
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/cct/
 Urban parks
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/plandev/urbanpa
rks.htm
 Conservation easements
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpz/environment/ease
ments.htm
 Open space preservation
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/wp-
openspace.htm
 Natural Resource
Management Plan
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/nrmp.htm
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34. Education and Outreach
 Website – continuing updates
 http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/living/environment
/energy/
 Facebook, Twitter, and other social media
 Channel 16 productions
 Federally-funded residential energy
efficiency education and outreach program
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35. Growth and Land Use
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/living/landuse/
 Transit-Oriented
Development
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/planning/tod.htm
 Revitalization http://www.fcrevit.org/
 Land Conservation
 Green Buildings
 Sustainable Development
Policy for Capital Projects
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/news/2008/0
30.htm
 Comprehensive Plan policy
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpz/compreh
ensiveplan/policyplan/environment.pdf
(see Objective 13)
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36. Transforming Tysons
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpz/tysonscorner/
 Plan adopted June 22, 2010—
Livable urban center with TOD
emphasis and green building
expectations
 Several rezoning applications
under review
 Opportunities for stormwater
and energy innovation during
zoning process
Georgelas proposal—Tysons West/Spring Hill
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37. Policy Plan Environment Section
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpz/comprehensiveplan/policyplan/environment.pdf
 Environmental Pollution
 Air Quality
 Water Quality/Stormwater
Management
 Potomac Estuary/Chesapeake Bay
 Noise
 Light Pollution
 Environmental Hazards
 Soil Constraints
 Flood Impacts
 Pipelines/Transmission Lines
 Environmental Resources
 Environmental Quality Corridors
 Tree Cover
 Conservation Easements
 Environmental Coordination
 Resource Conservation/Green Building
Practices (includes energy)
 Chesapeake Bay Supplement
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38. National Recognition
 2011 - Governor’s Environmental Excellence award for stormwater outreach.
 2011 - American Planning Association’s Daniel Burnham Award for the Comprehensive Plan for the Tysons Corner Urban Center. This
award, which recognizes advancement of the science and art of planning, is granted to only one urban plan in the nation each year.
 2010 - Governor’s Environmental Excellence Environmental Program (Government) Bronze Award for the Wastewater Management
Program’s Community Outreach Program.
 2010 - National Recreation and Park Association Gold Medal Award for the Fairfax County Park Authority
 2009 - National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) Platinum 12 Peak Performance Award. The Platinum Award pays special
tribute to those municipal wastewater treatment facilities that for twelve consecutive years achieved 100% compliance with all National
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitted limits during a calendar year.
 2009 - National Association of Counties “Achievement Award” for Herrity Building Garage Vegetative Roof.
 2008 - National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) Platinum 11 Peak Performance Award. The Platinum Award pays special
tribute to those municipal wastewater treatment facilities that for eleven consecutive years achieved 100% compliance with all National
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitted limits during a calendar year.
 2008 - MarCom Platinum Winner, Fairfax County Park Authority Non-native Invasive ID and Control handbook
 2008 - Communicator Award of Excellence, Fairfax County Park Authority Non-native Invasive ID and Control handbook
 2008 - Public Technology Institute "Solutions Award" in the "Sustainability" category for the "Plug-In Hybrid Vehicle Fleet Trial."
 2007 - National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) Platinum 10 Peak Performance Award. The Platinum Award pays special
tribute to those municipal wastewater treatment facilities that for ten consecutive years achieved 100% compliance with all National
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitted limits during a calendar year.
 2007 - Green Power Partner recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency EPA) for efforts to reduce the risk of climate
change through green power purchasing.
 2007 - Energy Star Partner recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
 2007 - Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) Bronze Excellence Award in category for Integrated Solid Waste
Management Program.
 2007 - Environmental Project of the Year – American Public Works Association – for the I-95 Landfill Closure project.
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39. National Recognition
 2006 - National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) Platinum 9 Peak Performance Award. The
Platinum Award pays special tribute to those municipal wastewater treatment facilities that for nine consecutive
years achieved 100% compliance with all National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitted
limits during a calendar year.
 2006 - Businesses for the Bay Environmental Excellence Award for Local Government for Outstanding Nutrient
Reduction.
 2006 - National Association of Counties “Achievement Award” for Environmental Excellence for Fairfax County---
A 20-Year Vision - Environmental Improvement Program.
 2006 - Fairfax County was first among large counties in National Association of Counties “Change a Light
Campaign”, a two-month nationwide campaign challenging county employees to change incandescent bulbs with
compact florescent bulbs.
 2006 - Community Partner of the Year – Environmental Protection Agency – Landfill gas utilization at I-95 (Noman
 Cole, Energy Production, Heating system).
 2005 - Businesses for the Bay Environmental Excellence Award for Local Government for Outstanding Nutrient
Reduction.
 2005 - National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) Gold Peak Performance Award for 100%
compliance with all NPDES permitted limits during a calendar year.
 2005 - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency “Landfill Methane Outreach Program Community Partner of the
Year Award” for use of landfill gas as a renewable energy source, saving the county $5,000 a year in fuel.
 2005 - National Association of Counties “Achievement Award” for Improving Air Quality in the Washington
Metropolitan Region, a Commitment to Air Quality Excellence - Air Quality Protection Strategy.
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40. National Recognition
 2004 - Chesapeake Bay Program Chesapeake Bay Partner Community—Gold Award
 2004 - National Association of Counties “Achievement Award” for Watershed Management Planning.
 2004 - National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) Excellence in Management Award to honor
member agencies who have implemented successful programs (over a continuous three-year period) that
address the range of management challenges faced by public wastewater utilities in today’s competitive
environment.
 2004 - National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) Gold Peak Performance Award for 100%
compliance with all NPDES permitted limits during a calendar year.
 2003 - EPA Clean Water Partner for its leadership role in the protection of the Chesapeake Bay. The recognition
was given to the county for the efforts of Wastewater Management, which has voluntarily monitored the ecology
of Gunston Cove and the surrounding area for almost 20 years.
 2003 - National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) Gold Peak Performance Award for 100%
compliance with all NPDES permitted limits during a calendar year.
 2003 - National Association of Counties ‘Achievement Award’ for its Keep it Green “E-Waste” Program in
recognition of an innovative program which contributes to and enhances county government in the United States.
 2002 - Association of Metropolitan Sewage Agencies (AMSA) Platinum Peak Performance Award. The Platinum
Award pays special tribute to those municipal wastewater treatment facilities that for five consecutive years
received Gold Awards for achieving 100% compliance with all National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
(NPDES) permitted limits during a calendar year.
 2002 - Virginia Recycling Association (VRA) Excellence in the Spotlight Award for the Business Recycling
Program.
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41. Questions?
David J. Molchany
Deputy County Executive
Fairfax County Government
Dave.Molchany@fairfaxcounty.gov
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